Improvement in apparatus for treating malleable-iron castings



A. F. ANDREWS. Improvement in Apparatus forTreating Malleable Iron Castings.`

Patented Jamo, 181.2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CEEIGE ALBERT F. ANDREWS, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELF AND HORATIO G. REDFIELD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPRVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR TREATING MALLEABLE-IRON CASTINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,073, dated January 30, 1872; antedated January 20, 1872.

To all whom it may concern: f

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. ANDREWS, of the city and county of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Apparatus for Treating Malleablelron Castings, of which the following is a specification:

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention. The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

The full details of the process for which this apparatus is adapted need not be described. It is sufficient that it is intended to subject the castings to the influence of gas caused to flow through or into a space around each casting without, if possible, filling the entire furnace with the gas, and also to make visible to the eye of the attendant the progress of the Work. The castings are packed in aporous orA open packing of lime or other material in portable cases; and when the operation in the furnace is completed the cases and their contents are removed and transferred to a suitable place to cool, while the heat of the furnace is maintained to treat other lots, thus economizing heat, and saving time and expense. The ordinary-method of cooling and reheating the furnace for each operation is wasteful in a high degree.

Figure l is a vertical section through a portion of the furnace, showing the cases in position. Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the cases detached. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a case. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through an entire furnace on a smaller scale; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the arrangement. It is a horizontal section in the plane of the connecting-nozzles. The scale in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is one and one-half inch to the foot, and in Figs. et and 5 it is' one-half an inch to the foot.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures.

Referring to the drawing, A A, &c., are the stationary walls of the hot furnace. The inclosed space, it will be understood, is kept at a high temperature by means of a tire underneath or at the side, not represented. I have experimented successfully with a lire workin g like a puddlers fire, or what is called a reverberatory furnace. B B, 8vo., are cases made of fire-clay or other suitable material, of a rectangular form, and provided either with afixed or with a removable falsepbottom, B1, below which there is an orifice at each side, one of which is provided with a projecting nozzle adapted to match into the corresponding hole in the adjacent similar casing. The castings to be treated are packed down in the space above the perforated bottom, with the irregular spaces between filled with finely-divided lime, and the top is covered by a luted cap, B2, having a small hole, b, near the center, through which the gas rising through the interstices in the lime may escape through a tube, C, which is temporarily attached after the case B and its con tents are in position in the furnace. The tube C may be of small size. Its function is to lead the gas to a convenient point above and outside of the furnace, where the small current of escaping gas may burn continuously and indicate to the experienced eye the progress of the work. The hydrogen is supplied from a suitablereservoir (notrepreseuted) through the pipe D to one end of the furnace, and maintained at a moderate pressure. Itiiows through the vacant space belowthe false bottom in each of the cases B, and a portion flows upward through the contents of each case, to escapein a more or less modified condition at the top. It usually escapes charged with carbon. In other words, it escapes as a hydrocarbon. Provision is made in 'the construction of the cases B for retaining within the hole which receives the gas, or around the nozzle at the opposite side or end of each case, arin g of properly-moistened and plastic clay to serve as a luting. I prefer to apply clay in this manner in both the positions named. When the cases are lowered into their proper positions in thefurnaeeA they are moved endwise, successively, into theproper position to thrust the nozzle of one into the hole in the other 5 and the luting makes an approximately gas-tight joint. It will be understood, of course, that the termination of the series at each end is properly luted to make a tight connection with the walls of the furnace and wit-l1 the pipe which supplies the gas at one end. I prefer, also, to connect a pipe to the other end of the furnace, and to cause a current of the gas to ow not only into and along the whole series of cases B, but also to circulate actively quite through the last mein;

ber of the series and out through ythjelpipeWhiclr connects to the corresponding end or side of the furnace. I maintain the furnace at a variable but always high temperature for an indefinite period, lifting out the cases B. andthcir contents by means of suitable grapples anfglwcarv-- rying them on a'crane', or. otherwise deposit them in a cooling-pit, (not represented.)

The convenient loading and .unloading ofthe furnace While at a high or'heated temperature are greatly facilitated by this apparatus.

I claim as my inventionl. The portable cases or' retorts, adapted to iit together within the furnace and to form ap; proximately gas-tight j unctions, and to conduct the gas throughthe series and allow it to peinmeate among the contents of each: case, as andvl for the purposes herein specified.

2. VThe pipes C, connectedto theportable carseszas-showin),- aildarranged-.to lserve as an exit for a small stream of the gas from each, as andforthe purposes set forth.

3. The loading and unloading of the furnace altna'high orgheated temperature, substantially in thevn'lanner herein set forth, so as to renderv its operation continuous for an indefinite period.

Witnesses Tnoimspn SfrEfrsoNf C., O; LIVINGS. 

